The Salesian Mustangs will head out to challenge the Crespi Celts at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Salesian hadn't beaten Harvard-Westlake on the road since October 7, 2016 but that history sure didn't bother them on Friday. The Mustangs claimed a resounding 44-14 win over the Wolverines. Given the Mustangs' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 163rd, while the Wolverines are ranked 525th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Donovan Shirley
| 10/10/25 @ Harvard-Westlake | 335 |
| 10/03/25 vs Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary | 298 |
Salesian's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Donovan Shirley, who threw for 335 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and J'Anthony Cobb, who gained 212 total yards and a touchdown. With that strong performance, Shirley is now averaging an impressive 316.5 passing yards per game. 97 of Shirley's passing yards were hauled in by James Spicer.
Salesian was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 236 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their rushing yard total in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, you're bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter and that's exactly how it played out for Crespi on Friday. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that they blew La Salle out of the water with a 49-7 final score. The Celts' victory was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.
Salesian better focus on containing Chase Curren and Jaden Ayala as the pair were huge in Crespi's win. Curren threw for 153 yards and three TDs while completing 73.3% of his passes, while Ayala gained 107 total yards and two touchdowns. The dominant performance also gave Curren a new career-high in passer rating (145.3).
One reason for the win was Crespi's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for 5.5 sacks. In that department, Grant Woods was the leader with two. Antonio Glasby got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Crespi, adding 13 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Oliver White, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Salesian's record now sits at 5-2. As for Crespi, their record is now 7-0.
Everything came up roses for Salesian against Crespi in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 38-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mustangs since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
